Spacing machine



G. P. KLINE.

sPAclNG MAcHmE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 23, 192|? y Patented May 16,1922;

4 skins-sneer- 1.

G. P. KLlNE.

SPACING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 23, .1921. i L41 @52990 Patented May 16, i922,

4 SHEETSf-SHEET 3.

G. P. KLINE.

SPACNG NIA-CHINE.

APPLICATION man MAR. 23. 192x.

Patented May 16,1922,

iii tividi@ sie GEORGE P. KLINE, OF MOLINE, ILLINOIS, .ASSIGNOR 'IO lVVIILLIAJIS, WHITE & COM- PANY, 0F MOLINE, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION 0F ILLINOIS.

srnciive MACHINE.

Application filed March 23, 1921.

To all whom t may concer/in:

Be it lmown that I, GEORGE I). KLINE; a citizen ot the United States, residing at Moline, in the county ot Rock Island and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spacing Ma.- chines, of which the following is a speciiication.

My invention relates to the fabrication oli' metal parts and structures and consists in a spacing machine adapted to intermittently advance plates or other stock through a punch press or other machine tool tor suc cessive predetermined distances.

In fabricating structural steel, Jfor example, it may be desired to perform a series of operations on a single piece ot stock or on a number ot pieces ot stock according to predetermined spacing and the main object ot my invention is to provide a machine which will feed one or more sheets, angles, or other material; to a machine tool; such as a punch press; so as to produce repeated puncliings in the stock in predetermined locations. I attain this main object by feeding the stock by means of a carriage which travels along a 'trame equipped with a plurality ot stop elements adapted to successively engage the carriage to halt the latter during each punching operation.

I also desire to provide adequate means tor Ytir-icing the carriage "from each engagement with the machine traine when the carriage and stock are to be advanced n in additional object et my invention is to secure accuracy in the spacing ot the punching by positively maintaining` contact ot the carriage with the trame stop elements during operation ot the machine tool; to eliminate shock when each stop is engaged; to eliminate play between the carriage and the traine and thus avoid errors which might otherwise result in punching the stock; to iliifovide Jroi" micrometer-like adjustments tor the stop faces and thus produce any 'tractional spacing` ot the puiichings; and to provide tor special punchings when required without interfering with or affecting the stops which produce the normal or set piiinchings. 1 y

.inotlier object oi the invention is to provide means whereby the spacing elements may be assembled in their operative relation apart from theA machine and then be applied to the machine already set up;

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May ic, i922.

Serial No. 454,895.

whereby non -productive periods usually present in changing from one job to another are avoided.

Furtherk objects ot the invention are to provide means 'for driving the machine manually or by power and particularly to provide an etiicient power drive which accommodates the varying driving conditions arising during the operation of the machine; and to provide particular features of construction to enable the various mechanisms to etliciently perform their several functions.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown a selected embodiment of the invention and referring thereto Figure l is a top view of the machine adapted to be operated by hand or by power:

Figure 2 is a vertical, transverse section taken on line 2 2 o'f Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a similar'section taken on line 3 3 of Figure l;

Figure 4 is a detail section taken on line 4 4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is an enlarged, detail top view of a special stop device;

Figure 6 is a side view of a loch used in connection with the special stop device of Fig. 5;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary top view of the index plates and stop elements;

Figure 8 is an elevation of the lett-hand end of the machine;

Figure 9 is a vertical transverse section taken on line 9 9 of Fig. l;

Figure l0 is aview largely diagrammatical; looking in the same direction as Fig. 9 but 'from a plane nearer the left hand end of the machine.

Figure ll is a transverse7 horizontal, sectional view on line 1]. 11 of Fig. 2.

Brieiy; the machine comprises a frame l, having rails 3; arranged longitudinally of the trame, the upper portions of which form individual racks 2, and a carriage 4 mounted on rails 3 and adapted to be moved along the same by rotation of pinions 5 which engage the teeth ot racks 2. The carriage is provided with a pair of stop :lingers 6 and 7 adapted -to engage alternately successive stops 8; 9; l0, ll adjustably positioned upon index bars 23 and 24 which are mounted on the machine trame parallel with racks 2 and rails 3. Fingers 6 and 7 are mounted to slide transversely ot the carriage and upon a shock absorbing mechanism having positively limited movement. At one end, the carriage is 4provided witr` a clamp .1Q for gripping the stock `(not shown) which is to be fed to the punch press (not shown) and the frame is provided with vertically radjustable rollers 13 for the stock to ride upon.

`Itwill be understood that the-punchpress, to which my machine lteeds the stock, will be positioned at the lett hand end olf Figure 1 and the machine frame may be continued ftotlie right as far yas is `desired for each installation. 'The carriage 4: travels the 'full length of the frame and is here shown rather near the end ot its travel toward the punch press. iIts pinions '5 are rotated by means oit 'a wheel li'having hand grips 15 4or by a motor drive hereafter described.

The carriage has a bolster 16 which mounts an air cylinder 17 'the piston rod 18 of which extends to the 'lettand there presses against a yoke 19. Yoke 19 is carried upon supports 2O which are slid'ably ournaled in the frame ot cylinder 17, The yoke is provided with alined, spaced, cylindrical bearings 21 2) A'the common axis ot which :extends transversely of the machine. A shifft rod 22 is slidably 'mounted `inbearing A21, extends beyond the side of the machine toa point adjacent yhand wheel v141: 1and is there provided 'with a handle 222. Stop fingers 6 and 7 are iixed on shait Q2 and `may be positioned thereby `to Aengage stops 8, 9, 10, 11. When finger 6 or .7 encounters one of vthe stop elements, yoke 19 is thrust to the rightagainst the resistance 'of the air and springpressure in cylinder 17 until the yoke 'engages -a cross beam 29.

The carriage is thereby halted until the engaged linger is yreleased by shitting `rod 22.

ldhen the-stop llinger is released `from enygagement with the stop element, spring 39 moves the cylinder piston to the lett. pumpingfair into the cylinder and thrusting` yoke 19 forward into extended position. l'lhere the distance between lsuccessive punchings is short, the cylinder piston and the yolre may not be 'fully extended before the next stop is engaged but this will not he objectionable -as `there will ybe less moinentiun oi the carriage and plate to be absorliied.

The index bars 23 4and ,are slightly spaced lirom `each other and `their upper faces are notched at regular intervals oreterably not less than at one halt inch? in order that the projections will not be unduly weakened. Adjustable stops 8, 9, 'im are notched on their lower faces to lit 4on bars 23 i214; and may be vsecured at any ydesired point along` the index bars by individual'l'll bolts i.T lach stop element rests lupon and engages both index bars, and the head of each T bolt likewise v.engages both bars. It is obvious ythat a number oft stop elements so secured throughout the length oit bars'23 and 24 will Iform a rigid unit which may be assembled independently of kthe spacingmachine and secured to the machine `trarne by machine screws 25. yThus7 by providing` a plurality of index bars, a set ot index bars with stops for one job may be made ready while the machine is beingzoperated on another job .and various assemblies ot stops and index bars may be liept for use lif yeach assembly is used often enough to justify the cost and storage oit the extra parts.

lilach stop element projects upwardly beyond the horizontal plane mar-king the lower extension of stop lingers (i and 7 and the latter are so spaced from each other that when one is withdrawn from stop engaging position the other will be moved into stop engaging position. This is shown in Figs. 1 and 2 in which stop linger is posi-y tioned immediately above index bar 24e so as Vto engage stops 8 or 1() which have their f stop faces positioned over index bar 24. fit silde rod 221s pulled to the right7 Finger 6 will be positioned immediately above bar 23 as linger 7 moves out of sto-p engaging position and finger 6 will. engage stops9 or 11 which are turned with their stop faces positioned over index bar 23.

Iffoke 19 is provided with buiier lugs Q adapted to support the linger stops 6 and so that any shock occasioned 'by the engagement of the stops will `be transmitted to the yoke'direct instead of through the bearings 21 igor slide rod 22. When one of lingers or 7 ene-ave a sto J and the c linder visten D D 7 t is 'forced to the right, the air in cylinder 17 is expelled through an adjustable exhaust 38. 'The cylinder piston has a travel or about inches in its cylinder during which travel the concussion shock is gradually absorbed. y means oli exhaust 38 the resist ance to the travel oitlie piston maybe regulated according lto the nature ot the po which drives the carriage and the aver ge or maximum distance between Y stops7 bothoip which elements will atleet the momentum oi the carriage.

The handle 22a on slide rod QQhas alimited loose movement thereon by which the operotorv Amay produce a hammer like blow iu either direction, thereby Alfacilitaling the die "lodgment oi' the engaged linger 'from the stop.

linger and the engaged stop which the lost motion handle easily overcomes.

To avoid unduesliding contact oit lingers 6 and 7 on 'lugs 27, the contacting l these elements vare beveled as indicated in `Figure 11. This construction provides that the early transverse movement oi' linger 7 successive will free its entire beveled surface from the adjacent surface of lug 27 and eliminates friction between these elements during shifting of rod 22. It will be understood that the early movement of the carriage along the frame will not be rapid enough to maintain contact between the separating beveled surfaces. Other means will be described later which further insures that the carriage movement will not take place too quickly.

Each stop element is preferably tapped longitudinally of the frame and a threaded pin 28,provided with an angular socket, may be screwed therein by a tool which lits in the pin socket. lltach pin provides its stop element with an adjustable stopping face which may be set at any point between successive index bar teeth either to insure accuracy in spacing or secure a spacing which is not a nniltiple of the rack teeth pitch. lf the rack teeth are one-half inch pitch, which l consider a minimum for strength requirements, any space between stops which is not a multiple of one-half inch, such as three and one-eighth inches, may be provided by use of pins 28.

'While pins 28 may also be used to provide spacing less than one and one-half inches, the minimum thickness of stop elements, it will be more convenient to provide and use the sub-divider detailed in Figure, which is mounted upon cross beam 29. This subdivider operates to provide an adjustable buling face for yoke i9 on cross beam 29. This is done by securing a track 3l upon cross beam 29 inclined at an angle to the forward edge thereof. rlhe sub-divider 50 slides upon this track and when .moved towards the operatorwill project its forward face beyond the front of the cross beam and thereby subtract the amount of this projection from the spacing provided by the stop elements 8, 9, l0, ll. Sublivider 30 is held at different points upon this inclined track by a notched bar 32, which engages a notched catch 33 at the end of the cross beam. The notches in bar 32 are so spaced that successive notches are engaged upon each one-sixteenth inch projection of subdivider 30 beyond cross beam 29. lli/Then a spacing less than one and one-half inches .is to be used, the operator will be notified and will set bar 32 accordingly. Spacing less than one and one-half inches will be reqiiiired so seldom that the special attention required to operate the sub-divider will not detract from the efficiency of the machine. Obviously, a screw or other indexing means may be substituted for bar 32 and catch 33.

To prevent unintentional continued functioning of sub-divider 30, l provide a slide rod lock Bil which engages a groove in the slide rod 22 whenever the teeth of bar 32 are seated in catch 33.. In order to release slide rod 22 so that finger 6 or 7 may be released and the carriage may advanceto the neXt stop, it is necessary to release lock and this is done automatically by moving bar 32 to the left to disengage catch 33 (Fig. 6). A spring 36 exerts a constant pull on sub-divider 30 and bar 32 and when the bar is retracted to the position shown by full lines in Figure 5, the straight edge 3i' at the outer end of bar 32 rests upon the points of the teeth of the latch and holds lock Bel disengaged from slide rod F eed racl s 2 and rails are integrally formed on an inverted V section and the :arriage wheels d() are also lf-shaped and the inclined surfaces of the wheels ride on the inclined surfaces the rails and racks so as to prevent lateral movement of the car* riage on the frame. This eliminates any wearing of the carriage on the frame and prevents a discrepancy in the positioning of the stock in the punch press.

The carriage driving mechanism is shown in Figs. l and 9. A motor Lll is mounted on bolster 16 and its shaft d2 is coupled to a worm 43, which drives the gear The latter rotates on a shaft 45, which is journaled on carriage .4. Gear irl may be engaged with shaft 4-5 by means of a friction clutch including a clutch element d6. Pinions -l-'7 fixed on shaft ll5 mesh with pinions 5 and through the latter, and racks 2, advance the carriage on rails 8.

The clutch is shifted by a lever d8, a rod 49 and a lever 50, the handle of which is ad jacent the operator. lVhen the operator pushes the handle of lever 50 inwardly, the clutch is thrown out and worm gear la rotates freely on shaft 45. Lever 50 maybe held in this position by a latch 5l, pivoted on the carriage frame. Vfhen the clutch is disengaged, the carriage may be moved by means of wheel 14. 0bviously, the machine may be operated solely by hand wheel lit, although the latter will generally be used only for adjusting, emergencies, etc.

The clutch is adapted to permit slippage between the motor and carriage when the latter is positively stopped but the motor is run continuously,'thus holding the carriage in advanced, stop engaging` position and against the reti-acting tendencies of spring 39 and the collision of the carriage and the stop.

As mentioned above, l desire to completely release the carriage from the drive when stop lingers; 6 and 7 are shifted. l accomplish this by connecting' the inner end of rod 22 to a cam 52 by means of. a lever 53 and a shaft 5d. Lever d8 is pivoted at 55 near its lower end and a lateral arm 56 on the lever, carries a roller 57 adapted to be engaged by the linger 58 on cam 52 when the latter is rotated by rod 22 as the handle is operated to shift fingers 6 and 7.

l/Vhile I have shown a preferred construe tion embodying tivo index hars and substantially tWo rows of stops, it is Within the scope of my machine to construct and operate same With a single roiv of stops or 'with more than tvvo rows. lf a single rovi* is used the slide rod mounting the stop finger would have to he withdrawn to disengage a given stop and permit the machine toadvance and 'oe "ie-advanced t0 engage the next stop. Viith a greater number of index hars than shown in the drawings a greater sub-division of spacing may he ohtained and such construe` tion might he advantageous in use with multiple punches on 'iv/ide sheets, in which ease it might be desirable to use two shift bars instead of one. This is a modification which would in no wise differ in the principles of operation from the tivo har machine shown.

lt is now customary in spacing machines, Where large quantities` of plates or shapes are to he punched, to provide plain stop bars with simple stops permanently `pinned or otherwise fixed thereon in proper positions, and it is obvious that such hars and stops may he substituted .for the adjustable stops and hars l have shown Without interfering with the other constructions of my machine or With the functioning of the stop engaging and other mechanism.

l am aware that changes in the form and proportion and arrangement of parts of my invention may he made without departing from the spirit or sacrificing the advantages thereof and l therefore reserve the right to malre all such changes as fairly fall ivi thin the scope of the following claims:

l claim:

l. ln a spacing machine, inverted V- shaped rails, rack teeth formed thereon, spool shaped 'Wheels which travel on said rails, a stock holding carriage mounted on said Wheels, and pinions mounted on said carriage and engaging said rack teeth.

2. In a spacing machine, inverted V- shaped rails, rack teeth formed on the upper portions thereof, spool shaped wheels which travel on the inclined sides of said rails and teeth, a stock holding carriage mounted on said Wheels, and racl; engaging pinions mounted on said carriage.

3. In a spacing machine, a pair of spaced index bars having notched upper faces, a plurality of adjustable stop bars having complementary notched faces on said index hars, oolts securing said stop bars in spaced relation along said index bars, and a stop face on each stop har arranged in staggered relation to the stop Afaces on adjacent stop bars.

4l. In a spacing machine, a frame provided with an index bar, a plurality of stop elements adapted to he removably secured to said bar, a traveling carriage mounted on said frame, vand a shiftable stop finger on said carriage adapted to he alternately shifted in opposite directions to engage successive stop elements by the alternate move' ment thereof.

ln a spacing machine, a frame, a removable stop .unit comprising a plurality of vparallel index hars rigidly secured together by a plurality of stop elements adjustalolyA clamped thereto, and means for securing said stop unit to said lframe.

o. ln a spacing machine, a frame and a stop unit ineludinga plurality of index bars removably secured to each other in cooperative relation by spaced stop elements and adapted to be assembled independently and to he mounted on-said frame.

7. ln a spacing machine, a frame and a stop unit including .a plurality of index hars and a plurality of stop elements, said bars and elements being `removably secured to each other in cooperative relation, and adapted to he assembled independently and vto he mounted on said frame.

ln a spacingmachine, a frame, a traveling` carriage mounted on said frame and vprovided 'ith a stop linger, a stop unit comprising a plurality of longitudinal index bars, a plurality of transverse stop elements, and-bolts rigidly securing said index hars `and said stop elements together, and means for securing said stop unit to said frame.`

9. ln a spacing machine, va frame', a traveling carriage mounted on said frame and provided with a stop engaging linger,.a plurality of index hars, a plurality of stop `elements adapted to be positioned and secured on said index hars .independently of said frame, means for securing said bars and stops to each other in cooperative relation to form a rigid stop unit, and means for removably securing said bars to said frame.

l0. ln a spacing machine, a frame, a traveling carriage mounted thereon, a plurality of index hars, a plurality vof stop elements adjustably mounted on said bars and presenting a plurality of rows of stop faces, means for forming a rigid unit of said bars and elements, and means for mounting said unit on said frame.

il. In a spacing machine, a frame, a stop element mounted on said frame, a pin adjustably mounted in said element and forming a stop face therefor, and a traveling carriage adapted to he engaged hy said pin.

l2. ln a spacing machine, a frame, a traveling carriage, and stop elements mounted at spaced intervals along said frame and provided with adjustable stop faces adapted to engage said carriage.

18. ln a spacing machine, a frame, a`

notched index bar thereon, a stop element on said bar having notches to cooperate with the notches of said bar to prevent movement of said element, a threaded pinl screwed into said element transversely of the notches thereon, and a traveling carriage mounted on said trame and adapted to engage said element.

le. ln a spacing machine, a plurality oiC stop elements spaced apart in staggered relation, a traveling carriage, a stop linger on said carriage adapted to engage said elements in succession. and means tor shitting said linger after each engagement with one raid elements.

3. ln a spacing machine, a plurality of spaced stop elements, a traveling carriage, a shiit'able'stop linger on said carriage adapted to engage said elements, and a mounting tor said linger comprising a slidable shaft and an operating handle for said shait having a limited lost motion thereon.

16. 1n a spacing machine, stop elements arranged in parallel rows, a traveling carriage provided with a stop member adapted to be shitted transversely ot said rows oi: stop elements to alternately engage elements in each row.

17. ln a spacing machine, a trame, parallel rows ot' stop elements mounted i'jhereon` a traveling carriage mounted on said traine and provided with stop lingers adapted to engage said elements and so spaced that only one ol? said lingers can engage an element at one time.

1S. ln a sparing machine, a trame, par-- allel rows ot stop elements mounted thereon, a traveling carriage mounted on. said trame and provided with stop fingers spaced transversely ot said parallel rows a greater distance apart than the distance between said rows.

19. 1n a spacing machine, a trame. a traveling carriage mounted thei'eon. stop clements mounted on said 'trame and spaced longitudinally thereof'. a rod slidable transversely ot said carriage and a :linger tired on said rod and adapted to engage said ele-4 ments successively. I

20. 1n a :spacing machine, a frame. a traveling 4carriage mounted thereon, stop elements mounted on said trame and spaced longitudinally thereof. a rod slidably transversely ot said carriage, a finger xed on said rod and adapted to engage said elements successively, and a buffer block on said oarriage adapted to support said linger upon its engagement with said elements.

21. In a spacing machine, a trame, a traveling carriage mounted thereon, stop elements on said trame. a stop engaging member on said carriage shittable to disengage said elements, a member supporting lug, the contacting surfaces of said member and lug being bevelled to avoid sliding contact during shifting of said member.

22. In a spacing machine. a trame, a carriage mounted to travel longitudinally thereof, a stop element on said Jframe, a stop en.- gaging member mounted on said carriage to slide transversely of said frame to disengage said stop element, a member supporting lug, the contacting surfaces of said lug and. said member being similarly bevelled diagonally of the path ot movement of said member.

23. In a spacing machine, a trame, a traveling carriage mounted thereon, stop elements on said trame, parallel members on said carriage shittable transversely thereot to alternately engage said elements, lugs lor alternately supporting said stop engaging members, the lug contacting faces oi said members being oppositely bevelled outwardly and rearwardly, and the member contacting Vlaces ot said lugs being similarly oppositely bevelled.

2li. In a spacing machine, a frame, a traveling carriage mounted thereon, a member for stopping the travel ot said carriage. and yielding butter means on said carriage adapted to engage said member.

ln a spacing machine, a trame. atraveling carriage mounted thereon, means for stopping the travel ot said carriage, a fluid pressure cylinder mounted on said carriage, and a piston therein adapted to engage said means.

26. 1n a spacing machine, a frame, a traveling carriage mounted thereon, an element on said trame ttor stopping the travel ot" said carriage and yielding butter means on said. carriage adapted to engage said element, said means including a spring and a slidable element telescopingly mounted on said carriage and adapted to be yieldingly i held in projected position by said spring to engage said elements.

27. 1n a spacing machine, a trame, a traveling carriage mounted thereon, an element on said traine ttor stopping the travel of said carriage and a yielding butter on said carriage adapted to engage said element and be 1 moved relative to said carriage tor absorb the stopping shock, and' means Yfor returning said butter to normal position upon its release from said element.

28. ln a spacing machine, a frame. a traveling carriage mounted thereon, an element on said frame for stopping the travel ot said carriage and a buiing mechanism on said carriage adapted to engage said element and be moved relative to said carriage to absorb the stopping shock; said mechanism including a fluid pressure cylinder` and a piston teleseoping therewith to absorb the shock, and a spring adapted to return said piston to advanced position upon release of said carriage from said stopping element.

29. In a spacing machine, a frame, a traveling carriage mounted thereon, an element for stopping the travel of said carriage, and adjustable yielding buffer means on said carriage adapted to engage said element, said means including a fluid pressure cylinder, a

piston mounted thereon, and an adjustable vent in said cylinder.

30. In a spacing machine, a trame, a traveling carriage `mounted thereon, an element vfor stopping the travel oi"y said' carriage, and

ved to engage said elements, means for advancing said carriage and holding same inv tight engagement With said elements, and mechanismE actuated by said finger, when shifted, for rendering said means inoperative temporarily.

32. ln a spacing machine, a frame, a carriage, stop elements on said frame, stop `fingers on said carriage adapted to alternately engage said elements, a member movable on said carriage to shift said lingers, means for advancing said carriage on said frame and for holding said carriage in advanced position against return-ing forces, said member when moved' as described, being adapted to temporarily render said means inoperative.

38. ny a spacing machine, a trame, a traveling carriage mounted thereon, cooperating stopv elements on said 'trame and carriage for determining the successive advances or said carriage on said frame, and a sub-divider on said cariage for limiting the advance of said carriage to a lesser distance than provided by said stop elements.

34. In a spacing machine, a frame, a carriage mounted to travel longitudinally thereon, a. plural-ity of stop elements on said frame, a stop engaging member mounted to slide longitudinally on said carriage, and.l means on said carriage tor varying the sliding movement of said member when one of said elements is engaged thereby.

ln a spacing machine, a trame, a traveling carriage mounted thereon, a plurality of stop elements on said frame, a stop engaging member mounted to slide longitudinally of said carriage to absorb the stopping shock, and mea-ns tor varying the shock absorbing travel of said member comprising a track inclined transversely of said carriage, and a buder block mounted to slide on said track to limit the longitudinal travel of said member.

36. ln a spacing machine, a frame, a traveling` carriage mounted thereon, stop elements on saidirame and stop lingers on said carriage adapted to be shifted to engage said elements alternately, a linger shift rod, a friction drive ttor said carriage and means actuated' by said rod to temporarilyY release said drive when said rod is operatedI to shift said ngers.

37. ln a spacing machine, a frame, a traveling carriage mounted thereon, a plurality of stop elements on said' frame, a telescoping stop engaging member on said carriage, and* a heifer block Ytor said member mounted' upon an inclined track on said carriage positioned transversely of the line of travel of saidcarriage, and means 'lor positioning said block along said track at predetermined intervals to secure variations in the telescoping movement or said member at corresponding predetermined intervals.

38. ln a spacing` machine, a trame, spaced stop elements thereon, a traveling carriage pro-vided Vwith a member adapted to engage said elements, a buffer for said member having normal and abnormal operative' positions, and means whereby said member is Vlimited in stop engaging position when said buiiier is in abnormal position.

GERGE P. KLINE. 

